Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2023

Notes:
The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, is taking part in the 75th Frankfurt Book Fair, as part of the INDIA National Stand.
The event, known as Frankfurter Buchmesse, is being held in Frankfurt, Germany. It is a prestigious international book fair that attracts participants and visitors from around the world.

Notes:
The Indian Government has introduced a Standards and Labelling Programme for solar panels, which was inaugurated in New Delhi.
This initiative is aimed at assisting citizens in making well-informed choices when buying and using solar photovoltaic modules, commonly referred to as solar panels.

Notes:
HDFC Bank launched XpressWay, a digital platform offering banking products and services, enabling customers to experience the fastest way to bank.
XpressWay offers Personal Loan, Business Loans, Car Loan, Home Loan, Loan on cards, Credit Card, Savings Accounts among others. XpressWay is a part of HDFC Bank ‘NOW’, an umbrella brand for the Bank’s digital products and services.

Notes:
The joint bilateral training exercise “Exercise Harimau Shakti 2023” between the Indian and Malaysian Army has officially started at Umroi Cantonment in India.
The Malaysian Army contingent includes troops from the 5th Royal Battalion of the Malaysian Army, while the Indian contingent is represented by a battalion of THE RAJPUT REGIMENT. The previous edition of this exercise took place in Malaysia in 2022.

Notes:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that a cyclone named Tej developed in the Arabian Sea, while deep depression in the Bay of Bengal caused another cyclone, named Hamoon.
India is witnessing twin cyclonic storms for the first time after 2018. The name for Cyclone Tej was given by India while Iran named Cyclone Hamoon which stands for marshlands in Persian language.

Notes:
The Sri Lankan Cabinet has granted approval for the issuance of free visas to citizens of India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand.
This initiative has been launched as a pilot project with immediate effect and will be in operation until March 31, 2024. It aims to rebuild the debt-trapped island nation’s tourism sector.

Notes:
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has initiated the production of specialized ‘reference’ petrol and diesel, marking the first occurrence of such production in India.
These fuels possess elevated specifications and hold significant importance for the calibration and testing processes conducted by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) and the Automotive Research Association of India.

Notes:
At least three people died, while over 90 people were injured during a traditional stick fight festival, also regionally known as Banni festival, in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district.
The Banni festival is celebrated on the night of Vijayadasami on the account of the victory of Lord Mala Malleswara Swamy and Goddess Parvati over Mani and Mallasura.

Notes:
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released first Advance Estimates of production of major Kharif crops for 2023-24.
Area under Rice, the major Kharif crop is estimated to be higher by around 2 Lakh Hectare over previous year final estimate and by around 4.5 Lakh Hectare over average Rice Area. Its production is also estimated to be higher by about 1 lakh tonnes as compared to average Kharif Rice production.

Notes:
India created history at the Asian Para Games 2023, ending the event with their best-ever performance of 111 medals in Hangzhou.
This year’s figure is more than the 72 medals in 2018, includes 29 gold medals, 31 silver and 51 bronze. In the overall leaderboard, India finished in 5th position which is also their best-ever standing.